


Reaper76 Coffee Shop AU

by ChubbyGhostQuinn



Series: Overwatch Coffee Shop AU [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Twins, Biker Jack Morrison, Fluff, Jewish Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Light Amounts of Alcohol, M/M, Meet the Family, Mild Sexual Content, Not Canon Compliant, Reaper76 - Freeform, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Young Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Young Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Young Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Young Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-10-05 10:47:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17323592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChubbyGhostQuinn/pseuds/ChubbyGhostQuinn
Summary: Gabriel works at a Starbucks, Jack is a new face. They share jokes and see each other every day.-This is just a really sweet idea I had honestly and I had to write it haha





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Coffee Shop AU story one! I'm planning about four stories for this series but I may write more haha
> 
> I always see Gabe being written as the bad-ass biker type so I had to switch it up so he's a barista and Jack's a leather-wearing biker. Gabe is living for it.

Gabriel had been at work for what felt like a hell of a lot longer than four hours. He was only scheduled for six hours today, so he shouldn’t complain but he would anyways. Handing out coffee to hipsters, nerds, and businessmen all day got boring after so long of the same faces. He could name half of the people who came into his little Starbucks. He thought it was funny how strictly humans stuck to their routines. 

He handed the espresso to Hanzo, a businessman from further into town, and received nothing but a nod as the suited man left. Resting his chin in his hand, Gabriel looked over the cafe. There was Lúcio, an excitable college student with the most obvious crush on Gabriel’s coworker Hana, at a table with his laptop out and headphones over his ears. He bounced his head to some music Gabriel couldn’t hear while his coffee was made, fingers rapping across his keyboard at sonic speed.

Moira, a scientist of some sort with unprofessionally long nails, was at a table reading a book that looked big. Part of Gabriel wanted to ask what book it was, but he didn’t ever like her attitude so he ignored her instead. He could see Lena, who he’d already conversated with enough to distract him for a bit, with her new date Emily out on the patio. 

There were a few others. A medical student named Angela who always looked closer to a breakdown with every black coffee she ordered, studying a stack of papers that gave Gabriel a headache just looking at them. Akande, another big businessman, who had stopped Hanzo outside and was talking with a lot of conviction in his body language. The Japanese man just looked annoyed honestly. Gabriel was watching Lena’s dog Winston sniff around the ground for anything that might have been dropped. He made a note to give Winston a cup of peanut butter whipped cream before Lena left.

“Woah, who’s that?” came Jesse’s voice from behind Gabriel after a motorcycle’s motor stopped reverberating in front of their cafe. He turned to look at the man long haired man that was cleaning out a blender carefully. The man nodded his head to the door, a smirk on his lips. 

“If you’re talking about that boring suit Hanzo again, McCree, I swear I’m gonna gag.”

“No, you butt, look!” Jesse said, clearly wanting to say something more vulgar as an insult but remembering getting yelled at by their manager Ana.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and smiled, looking out towards the glass doors again, seeing that the two businessmen from before had taken their conversation down the street. Approaching instead was a man in a zipped up, black leather jacket and blue jeans. Red and black gloved hands removed the shining, black helmet from his head to reveal a tired looking face and messy, short, blonde hair. Gabriel looked at the man’s face to see if he recognized them at all but honestly he couldn’t recall ever seeing him, other than the fact that he resembled every male model on billboards around the city; ...that wasn’t quite fair, this stranger was a little more handsome in truth.

“New customer?” came Hana’s voice. She had an open mouth as she drizzled chocolate over the frappe Lúcio had ordered. Gabriel nodded, standing up straight and putting on a slight smile, 

“Guess so.”

The stranger pushed the doors open and walked in, heading up to the counter where Gabriel stood. He could see the slight stubble on the man’s face as he gave a polite smile to Gabriel.

“What can I get you?” Gabriel asked in his best customer service voice. Ana had chided him about sounding nicer to new people. They needed to draw in more customers, so he’d be nice because he liked the woman so much.

“Could I get a large caramel frappuccino with soy milk instead of the regular milk, please? No whipped cream. And…” he hesitated, eyes drawing to the display cabinet, “And a breakfast sandwich too please.”

Gabriel smile became more genuine at the politeness of the man’s words. He didn’t expect it from a biker. The last biker that had come in was brash and rude and had gotten the same treatment from Gabriel, resulting in the aforementioned scolding from Ana. Then again, Los Angeles wasn’t always exactly known for its kindness. 

“Sure. What’s the name?”

“Uh.. Jack.”

Gabriel watched the man as he took a plastic cup and wrote the name in slanted Sharpie. He had a suspicion that the man had given a fake name, and he had a policy when he got a fake name: he _had_ to spell it wrong. 

He wrote the order and set the cup down for Jesse to pick up and start as Gabriel got the breakfast sandwich out for him. He put gloves on and set the sandwich into a paper holder. He wrapped it and held it out to “Jack” and threw away the glove when he took the food and tucked it into a pocket inside of his jacket.

Jesse gave him a side-eye when he looked at the cup to see the order. Gabriel just smiled back, knowing Jesse had heard what the stranger customer had said his name was. He got a bit of satisfaction from seeing the struggle to not laugh in Jesse’s features. Jack handed over money from his leather wallet, shrugged, and told Gabriel to keep the change. The man walked over to the other counter, leaning against it and rubbing at an invisible spot on the visor of his helmet. 

After a few minutes, Gabriel set the coffee cup down with another sweet smile, “Here you go.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Jack took the drink and headed to an empty table, sitting down with a soft sigh. He set his helmet onto the table, taking out his phone and scrolling as he looked at the cup in his hands. He was probably checking everything in it was right. Gabriel watched excitedly for the moment of realization, when Jack saw “Jake” written on the cup. 

Gabriel usually got a slight facial change or a correction of the name when he did this, so he didn’t expect for Jack to start laughing quietly, rough but bright like sunshine, into his gloved hand to muffle it. He watched Jack hold the cup out to take a picture of the name, a smile gracing his rosy face. Gabriel would be hearing that laugh for hours after the fact. Jack texted someone on his phone as Lúcio attempted to flirt with Hana across the counter. 

Jack threw away his cup when he was done, carrying his helmet in the crook of his elbow with a smile on his lips still. He pulled it on once he’d exited the building, and Gabriel could feel the revving of the engine of a motorcycle in his chest as he saw Jack speed past in a blur of black and metallic, shiny silvers. The rest of the day, Jesse and Hana had new energy as well. They wasted no time on telling Ana when she came out from her office, who eyed Gabriel suspiciously until he assured he treated the new customer nicely.

__

Two weeks later, around eight at night, Gabriel was cleaning a table and tapping his foot to some pop song that was playing over the radio. Not his usual taste, but it was what played so he had to make himself enjoy it. That and it was really funny to watch Jesse dance around in the back room to Taylor Swift when he’d made himself too many sugary coffees. 

Fareeha, Ana’s daughter, was working on another coffee for Angela and talking to her about some paper she was struggling with and how to lessen the stress around it. He listened to them discuss how to make a paragraphs longer without getting in trouble, though it didn’t interest him in the least. He would be lying if he hadn’t looked up every time he heard a motorcycle pass by, which was far too common in Los Angeles. 

He enjoyed when Jack came in, always writing some messed up variation of his name onto the cup he got. Jac, Jak, Yack, Jaque. That last one made the man cover his face to muffle his laughter, coming up pink in the cheeks with his shoulders still shaking. Gabriel’s heart warmed at that laugh; the other man looked like he could use it. Jack was friendly when he came in and ordered from Gabriel, smiling because he already knew what was about to happen, and exchanging a bit of small talk. At one point, Jesse sauntered over to the counter and started talking about motorcycles. Jack seemed to get a little bashful, giving some information about the one he had but clearly not wanting to sound like he was bragging.

He sighed softly, whipping the towel across his shoulder and picking up the pile of garbage that he’d collected from the tables to throw away. He looked up when he heard a motorcycle stop outside, going behind the bar to clean his hands at the sink. A faint bell sounded as Jack walked in, taking off his helmet again. He set it down onto an empty table first, and Gabriel saw the weariness in his face.

“We’re closing soon, sir,” Fareeha said, looking up from the book she and Angela were scratching their heads at for a moment. She and Gabriel were the only ones working, Angela and Jack were the only customers. A slow day overall, and Jesse had called in sick. 

“That’s fine. Thank you for lettin’ me know, ma’am,” Jack said softly, giving a slight quirk of his lips to Gabriel.

“What can I get you?” Gabriel asked, making his way over to the cash register.

“Can I get a…” he hesitated, smiling and pulling out his phone, “Hold on, he told me and I forgot,” he said with a soft laugh. She? Gabriel felt a hint of disappointment, then furrowed his brows as he wondered why he was disappointed about that. Jack scrolled through his phone for a moment, then nodded, 

“A large chai tea?” he sounded unsure about the pronunciation, “with caramel in it with extra cinnamon and… a cake pop,” he added the last part with a nod like he just thought of it.

“Anything else?” Gabriel asked.

“Yeah, I’ll just get my usual. Please and thank you.”

“Ain’t it a little late for coffee?”

“Well, to some people, but it don’t help wake me up or anything,” Jack laughed, “Just tastes good. My brother got me into this place, said I gotta come here for the best in town though.”

“You don’t say?” Gabriel asked, genuinely interested as he took up two cups, writing the orders on the side.

“Yeah, I don’t suppose you’d remember him though. He stopped being able to come here a while ago, hasn’t got any time.”

“The same people end up in here every day, honestly,” Gabriel said, starting on the chai tea first, “I haven’t worked here too long though. Is that who this tea is for?”

“Yeah, he was begging me for one all day,” Jack said, glancing back at the table where his helmet sat, “Finally had the time to come in. Busy day.”

Gabriel felt a bit of relief that he despised when the guy he was talking about was his brother. Who was he kidding though? There was no way Jack was into guys. He was the epitome of an average Joe, under the biker exterior. Besides, he’d never shown any sign he was into guys, but had gotten into a long conversation with Angela outside about something or other.

“Busy, huh? What with?”

“Oh, first day at my new job. I’m working as a construction worker. That Akande guy offered me a job, so I took it. Was looking for one anyways,” Jack said, holding the chai tea when Gabriel gave it to him and inspecting it curiously. 

“Construction work? That sounds hard,” Gabriel said earnestly. His dad was a construction worker, and he could remember his father coming home late, tired and sunburned and in pain. His mom would rub his back every day, and his grandmother would scold him about the dangers of back injuries. His father worked even harder after his mother had passed away, but Gabriel couldn’t remember his father ever being upset about his work.

Jack seemed like that kind of person. The type to just work and be glad to be able to work, and not care about the pain it caused. That concerned him, though he didn’t know Jack personally enough to express it.

“It’s alright. Not too different from my family’s farm, really, just different equipment.”

“Oh, you’re a farm boy?” Gabriel laughed, looking at him, “I didn’t expect that of you. It doesn’t match the whole aesthetic you’ve got going on,” he said, dragging his eyes up and down Jack for a moment.

“What aesthetic?” Jack asked, smiling and leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. 

“Your whole leathery badass biker look. You’ve got leather gloves, a black leather jacket, a black helmet, and black boots.”

“You also haven’t seen what I wear at home, Gabriel!” Jack said, pointing and and sounding like a lawyer who’d caught the accused in a lie, “Public Jack is very different from home Jack. I try to look good out here,” he laughed.

“Why all black?” Gabriel asked. He couldn’t lie, he really liked the way it looked on Jack. It made his ocean eyes stand out.

“It’s easy to match clothes with,” Jack admitted, “My brother says I have bad fashion sense, so I stick with simple stuff usually.”

“Well, it’s even easier to match clothes when it’s a uniform,” Gabriel said, motioning to his work clothes. Jack laughed again,

“Well you have me beat, that is a lot easier to do.”

Gabriel set Jack’s coffee down onto the counter. He didn’t bother writing his name down because it was just the two. Fareeha was at a table with Angela now, drinking a coffee with her and nodding as Angela put her thoughts into words.

Jack smiled, moving the cups to the edge of the counter for a moment.

“The cake pop, can it be chocolate?” he asked nicely.

“You a chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla sort of guy usually?” Gabriel asked, putting on gloves to take the treat out of the glass container near the bar, “It’s an important. Wrong answer will result in failure.”

Jack snickered quietly, “Me? I prefer strawberry, but real strawberry like the ones on my family’s farm.”

“We have strawberry cake pops, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. It’s not for me, it’s for my brother. Did I get the answer right at least?”

“Nope, vanilla is superior. Chocolate sucks unless it’s in a pastry,” Gabriel teased, grinning. Jack gasped dramatically, faking offense but dropping the act a moment later, 

“Too much chocolate makes me sick, actually. My brother eats it by the pound though, and so does my other brother's son,” he said, quietly like he was sharing a secret.

Gabriel pursed his lips, wrapping the cake pop and handing it over, the warmth from Jack’s hand lingering after the split second they touched. He looked at Jack, laughing with nervousness, feeling a bit hot under his apron. The cafe was dimly lit because of the late hour, and a cheesy pop love song played over the speakers. They felt too close, Jack and Gabriel, just the counter separating them. Jack smiled a little dreamily, speaking the next words that made Gabriel’s heart both stop and get faster at the same time. 

“Can I take you out somewhere?” 

Jack’s face immediately burst into a bright shade of red as mortification crossed his face. 

“Fuck, I mean, as friends of course! You just seem really interesting and funny and-”

Gabriel, though his face was burning, smiled sweetly and patted Jack’s hand on the counter with his ungloved hand, not pulling away until a few moments of contact, “Yeah.”

“What?” Jack asked, eyebrows knitted and his entire body tense.

“I’d like to go out with you, Jack. Here,” he took off his glove and grabbed a notepad. He scrawled his number across the paper with Sharpie, tearing it off and handing it to him.

“Really? I… uh,” Jack’s lips pressed together for a moment, as if he didn’t really know what to do. He looked impossibly cornered, really.

“Text me when you get home, okay? It’s about time to close up shop anyways,” his eyes drew to where Fareeha was helping Angela gather her papers.

Jack was still holding the paper, dumbfounded.

“Goodnight, Jack.”

“G-Goodnight, Gabriel...” Jack’s face still burned, and butterflies soared in Gabriel’s stomach under his cool exterior. Jack tucked the cake pop into his jacket with the paper. He carried the cups to the table, putting on his helmet and rushing out the door again with the cups in hand. 

Gabriel rested his chin in his hand, elbow on the counter with a dopey smile on his face. He listened for the sound of the motorcycle, but it actually took a while to start. Was Jack sitting out there?

When he considered going out to check on him, he heard the motor start loudly, then die to a rumble. He saw the shining bike flit past in a blur, and when the sound faded away again, he continued his cleaning. He thought about Jack’s handsome face, a smile stuck on his lips so long his cheeks hurt when he drove home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We have their first date, and Gabriel's first ride.

**9:45 p.m.**

Hi. This is Jack

Sorry for texting so late. Just got home

**so formal, Jack. you just got home from working?**

Yeah. Hard day today

How was your day?

**good. I didnt have to work today so i went to see my cousin**

I didn’t know you have family here

**my whole familys here. I have my dad, little sisters, and a shit load of cousins and aunts and uncles**

Oh jeez. It’s just me and my brother here

**where r you from, farm boy?**

Bloomington, Indiana

Or, just a little outside of town but that’s the closest thing

**midwest? I was wondering why you stuck out like a sore thumb**  
 **any other family than ur brother?**

I got 3 other brothers, all older, and a mom

A few aunts and uncles and other family too but we don’t see them often

**so ur the baby of the family? Lucky**

Yeah, it has a couple perks

**like what?**

Youngest sibling is always the cutest ;)

Plus I didn’t get in much trouble usually because my brothers were way worse

**shut up jack the oldest is always the hottest**  
 **also it sucks being blamed for what ur little siblings do**

...I feel like you secretly called my oldest brother hot

It’s great getting to blame it on the older one

**what if ur brother is hot?**  
 **i hate little siblings like u**

I think my brother’s ugly but would we be family if I didn’t?

You wound me, Gabriel

lol

**whos ever nice to their family?**  
 **oh u poor baby**  
 **what can i do to fix ur feelings?**

How about…

A date with me this weekend?

**smooth**  
 **let me check if im working**  
 **im free saturday after 4**

Perfect, I don’t work Fridays or Saturdays

**i thought saturdays were big construction days**

Religious privilege

**really? what religion?**

My mom’s Jewish. Saturdays are the day of rest, like Christian Sundays

Mr. Ogundimu offered that day off when I mentioned I was Jewish, even though I don’t practice

I don’t mind working Saturdays but it’ll be good to have that day off and work Sunday when other people are off

Gabriel remembered Sundays with his family. They’d wake up at six in the morning to get ready for church, and pile the whole family into their car. He remembered hating having to wear the tie since his mom always tied it a little too tight. He remembered elbows brushing and fights with his sisters, his grandma just sitting peacefully among them like his youngest sister wasn’t screeching like a banshee. Right after church was always a big huge meal with everyone coming over. He missed it. When was the last time he went to church?

Okay, I’ll be ready Saturday. Let me know when you’re ready and I can go get you

I have to shower and sleep now though

**okay, Jack. goodnight**  
 **sleep well, handsome**

lol

Goodnight

Sweet dreams, handsome

__

Saturday afternoon, about five at night, Gabriel drove home with butterflies in his stomach. He was going on a date with Jack this evening. He was nervous for little reason. He’d been on dates before! Why did some farm boy make him so anxious? Maybe because he wanted to impress him. He was new to Los Angeles! New to the whole Western United States, actually. What if he just didn’t match up to the people in Indiana that Jack was used to?

He turned up the radio to try and drown his anxieties in AC/DC, tapping his steering wheel along to the drumbeat. He chewed on his lip as he thought about what Jack had planned. The other man was vague about what exactly he wanted to do over the past week of them texting each other, just assuring that Gabriel would like it. Jack still came in for coffee about every day. Jesse said they had nice conversations with Gabriel wasn’t working, and said he was a nice guy as if he didn’t already know that. 

Gabriel took a shower, trimmed his facial hair to clean up his goatee, and got dressed into something that wasn’t too fancy, but not too casual either once he got to his studio apartment. He figured a black cardigan over a grey long sleeved shirt and slacks would be fine. He looked in the mirror, studying himself. He rubbed at the scars on his cheek, willing them away though they remained right where they were. He grabbed some black combat boots instead, lacing them up as he sat on his bed. He thought a bit more about the weather, then grabbed his black beanie and pulled that on over his short buzzed hair.

He sat on his bed again, plugging his phone in to charge and messaging Jack his address. He sat there, trying to remember anything he might be forgetting. He got up from his bed several times after remembering something else. Deodorant, then cologne, then his watch, then he brushed his teeth just to be sure he got everything. 

Finally, after rethinking everything several times, he heard the rumble of Jack’s motorcycle outside. The butterflies in his stomach burst with energy at the sound. He got up and went to the door, opening it a second after there was a knock. He smiled sweetly at the sight before him.

There stood Jack, wearing black slacks and dress shoes as well as his usual zipped up leather jacket. He had on a nice, but old looking watch and his golden hair was a little messy as usual but clearly he’d put effort into styling it. A chain attaching his pants to his wallet hung at his side. He’d shaved clean as well, his smile mirroring Gabriel’s. 

What was in his hands, however, made Gabriel’s cheeks blossom into redness. A bouquet of twelve huge, red roses sat wrapped in pretty gold wrapping. Jack held them out for Gabriel to take, 

“You’ll have to leave them here, unfortunately, since I think they might get ruined on my bike,” Jack said a little sheepishly.

“How’d you get them here then?” Gabriel asked, taking the flowers carefully and stepping aside to allow Jack in. Jack entered, looking around the small space and chuckling,

“Very carefully. I have a bag on the side I put them in but if we did that again then there’d be no room for you to tuck your leg in on the side.”

Gabriel grabbed a vase his sister had given him and filled it with water, glad to finally have a use for the gift from a few years ago. Gabriel set the vase onto his bedside table, tucking the bouquet into it and smiling. It seemed to brighten the entire room, actually, and they smelled heavenly.

Jack smiled, holding his hand out to Gabriel, “Ready to go?” he asked. Gabriel nodded and held his hand as they left, grabbing his phone and wallet before locking his door and going out to the parking lot to see Jack’s bike. It was sleek black and silver tones, with a subtle red and blue trim. Gabriel felt himself tighten his hold on Jack’s hand, and the man turned to grin warmly at him,

“Nervous?” he asked.

“I’ve never ridden a motorcycle,” he said truthfully. Jack nodded and squeezed his hand, 

“Don’t worry, I’ve been riding since I was a little boy. You’ll be right there, and if you get scared at all then just hold onto me tighter, okay? Besides!” he made his way over to a leather bag hanging at the side of the motorcycle like a saddlebag on a horse. He flipped it open and pulled out two matching, sleek, black helmets.

“These babies will keep us safe!” he said, standing and smiling still. Gabriel felt assured by that smile, so he nodded and walked to stand beside Jack. 

“Okay, this one looked like it would fit you so it should be fine. Let me see your beanie, so it doesn’t get messed up,” Jack set his helmet on the seat, holding out his hand. Gabriel removed his beanie, watching Jack tuck it into the side bag and smile before holding the helmet out, “Try it on!”

Gabriel took the helmet and slipped it onto his head, a little startled by how the visor gave a sunglassed effect to the world. Jack smiled, pulling his own helmet on and flipping the visor up so Gabriel could see his eyes and eyebrows.

“You look good!” Jack said, laughing and wiggling his eyebrows. The way it looked made Gabriel start laughing, swatting Jack’s arm slightly.

“Oh you do too,” Gabriel said, watching Jack click the visor back into place and dig around in the side bag again. He pulled out some leather, fingerless gloves and Gabriel felt heat creep to his cheeks as he watched Jack pull them on over his hands. They looked… really good on him. Jack, though his face was obscured, was clearly smiling as he looked at Gabriel and held out a hand.

“Here, you’ll be back here, and I’ll be right in front of you!” Jack helped Gabriel swing his leg over the bike, settling his feet onto little notches in the sides of it. The seat was actually really cushiony, leather just like everything else seemed to be. Gabriel watched Jack fluidly slip his leg over to straddle the bike, his feet standing on the ground on either side of it. He searched through his pockets for a moment, taking out his phone. He turned to see Gabriel,

“Can I have your phone and wallet? I don’t want them falling out of your pockets.”

Gabriel laughed, “If you wanted to rob me, you could’ve just said,” he teased as he pulled out his phone and wallet to place into Jack’s hand. Jack settled onto the seat, tucking all the items into his jacket.

“You went along with it didn’t you? Easier way to get what I want than pulling out a knife. I could do that next time if you like!” Jack joked.

Gabriel nodded, “If we need to spice it up,” he joked back. 

Jack sat down on the seat, reaching back and taking Gabriel’s hands to wrap his arms around his waist, “Hold on tight, okay?” Jack said, moving his jacket around to make sure Gabriel could keep a strong hold on him. He glanced back to check on him, and Gabriel nodded to let Jack know he understood. Jack kicked the metal bar that was keeping the motorcycle from toppling over, sending it clicking upwards to tuck away. Jack kept the balance with his leg instead, shoving the key into the ignition and twisting. Gabriel heard the machine below him roar to life, settling to a rumbling growl before Jack took his foot off the ground and suddenly they were speeding off. 

Gabriel gasped softly, holding his arms around Jack’s stomach tightly in the effort to not fall off even though he knew it was unlikely. He smiled as he felt Jack’s body move with the bike, the happiness practically radiating from the man in front of him. Gabriel looked around as cars and street signs whizzed by, huffing and fixing his cardigan when they stopped at a stoplight, Jack’s foot placed on the asphalt as they waited. 

He glanced back to Gabriel, clicking his visor up to see better, “You doin’ alright?” he asked, “You were holding me pretty tight there at the beginning,” a smile formed in and around his blue eyes. 

“Yeah, I didn’t want to fall off!” Gabriel defended. Jack laughed softly, 

“Do you think I’d ever let anything happen to you?” 

The tone in Jack’s voice made heat crawl up his neck and face. He was glad he had the helmet to hide behind. Jack flipped his visor down and sped off again, weaving expertly through traffic as if it were second nature. A few times, he clutched Jack tighter because he was sure they were about to crash, but they never even came close. 

Eventually, Jack stopped the motorcycle outside of a restaurant that was broad and white with a large, black roof. There was stone sculptures at the doors of two lions, and overall it had a Greek feeling to it with the columns and pillars along the sides with vines creeping between them. 

Jack slipped off the bike in a fluid motion after kicking the bike leg down, holding it steady and helping Gabriel off. He took off his helmet and tucked it into the side bag, taking Gabriel’s after and putting it with his. He slipped the leather gloves off of his hands, and Gabriel found his eyes stuck as he watched him peel the gloves and tuck them away into the bag. Jack knelt down and locked the bag closed, tucking the keys into his pocket before rising and turning to Gabriel. He held out his beanie, smiling,

“Did you have fun?”

“It was interesting… You drive like a crazy person though,” Gabriel said, taking his beanie and putting it on with little glamour. Jack ran a hand through his hair to try and fix it, lips pursed,

“I know what I’m doing is all. Downside to riding is that my hair gets messed up,” he laughed.

Gabriel looked at Jack’s wild hair and stepped closer, running his fingers through the blonde locks to try and tame them. He managed to get it mostly settled with the gel that was in Jack’s hair, spiking his bangs into a sort of quiff that Jack’s hair probably was before the helmet ruined it. 

Jack’s cheeks were tinged pink when Gabriel pulled away, and he smiled sweetly before tilting his head to the side a bit, “How tall are you?” he asked.

Gabriel snorted at the random question, “I’m six-foot-one exactly.”

Jack opened his mouth, then grinned, “No way! Me too!! I haven’t really seen you out from behind the counter but I was thinking we might be the same height!”

Gabriel raised his eyebrow, “That all, weirdo?”

“No, I’m pretty sure we’re the same age too,” Jack said confidently, holding Gabriel’s hand and leading him towards the door.

“How old are you?” 

“A lady doesn’t reveal her age, my mother always says,” Jack teased, pulling the glass door open to the restaurant and standing aside to let Gabriel in. He winked when he passed. 

“For a lady, you sure act like a gentleman,” Gabriel cooed. Jack walked in after, glancing around the place. A large, gaudy chandelier hung from the ceiling and there was white tablecloths everywhere over tables. Overall, it seemed pretty fancy with vines along the walls and a white tile floor. 

“I’m twenty-nine. How about you?”

Gabriel smirked, “I’m thirty-two. Three years older, farm boy.”

Jack huffed softly, probably at being the youngest in about every situation. He walked up to a man in a dress shirt at the podium, smiling nicely, “Reservation for Morrison?” he said. The host looked through the book and must have found it because he grabbed two menus, and napkins with utensils folded inside. He motioned for the two to follow behind him, seating them at a table across from each other. The menus were set before them and two wine glasses as well.

“Can I interest you gentlemen in our house wine?”

Jack looked to Gabriel, smiling, “I’m driving, but if you want any feel free!”

Gabriel thought about it for a moment, then nodded, “Sure, I’ll have a glass.”

The host nodded and turned away to go retrieve the wine bottle. Jack opened the menu, rubbing at his cheek as he thought. Gabriel had to pull his eyes away from Jack’s face, looking through the menu. It seemed mostly Italian; so he was wrong about it being Greek. Either way, it all sounded really good. He looked to Jack, who was still rubbing his cheek in a nervous habit.

“What are you getting?” Gabriel asked, leaning against the table a bit.

Jack looked up, hand pausing on his cheek, “Uhh.. I was thinking of the alfredo? Probably get chicken instead of shrimp though..” he said, still pondering it. Gabriel nodded, deciding he’d get some pasta.

The host returned and poured two glasses of water, then poured Gabriel a glass of red wine. Gabriel and Jack ordered their food, and the host left with their menus. Gabriel sipped his wine slowly, and it was really good, immediately relaxing his shoulders as he kept looking at Jack; he couldn’t help noticing the slight red tint on his cheek where he was still rubbing. 

“You’re leaving a mark,” Gabriel said, setting his glass down and reaching across the table to hold Jack’s hand so he’d stop rubbing. 

“Am I?” Jack asked, looking caught. Gabriel laughed at that, nodding and rubbing the back of Jack’s knuckles with his thumb.

“Yes. What are you so nervous about?” Gabriel asked.

“I… didn’t know what kind of food you like, or if this place was even good,” Jack said honestly, “I asked Jesse when you were gone and he said this place was good, said his rich friend Ashe or something like that liked it.”

“Rich? How expensive is this place, Jack?” Gabriel asked. He hadn’t seen any prices on the menu, and that made him fear how expensive it was. Jack smiled, 

“Don’t worry about it! It’s not too bad. My first paycheck covered the reservation just fine, and they said that covers food and everything like that,” he assured, “Wine is a little extra, but I don’t mind!”

Gabriel flushed, eyebrows creasing as he looked at the red liquid in the glass, “I’ll cover that part, okay?” he said, feeling bad about the possible price.

“No way, Gabe! This is me taking you on a date, okay? Don’t worry about prices!” Jack squeezed his hand, and the smile on his face could have melted the iciest heart. That didn’t mean Gabriel wasn’t upset about it.

Instead, he squeezed back and asked, “Gabe, huh?” and reveled in the way Jack’s face bloomed into redness. He started to rub his neck, then caught himself, and awkwardly adjusted his jacket instead, 

“Sorry, I don’t know if that’s alright with you for me to call you that.”

“Call me whatever you like as long as it’s not an insult,” Gabriel said.

“I’d never insult you!” Jack said incredulously.

“I’ve heard some creative ones!” Gabriel said, chuckling.

Jack shook his head disdainfully, “Well, anyone insults you with me around they ain’t walking away from it, I assure you!” he promised, the sureness in his demeanor making Gabriel laugh happily.

They continued like that, chatting and joking around with each other. Jack’s laugh made warmth swell in Gabriel’s chest, and he could have cried from the feeling when Jack laughed so hard at one of Gabriel’s jokes that tears popped up in his blue eyes, a hand over his mouth to keep himself from being loud. It felt like they’d known each other forever.

During their dinner, their conversation traveled everywhere as if they didn’t have all the time in the world to try and learn about each other. He learned Jack’s dad was not in the picture because he was a drunk, but he still talked to him sometimes. Jack got a little solemn at the subject, sipping his water a little awkwardly. He told Jack about his mom, and how she’d passed away when he was younger in a car accident. He had scratched the scars on his cheek, and he could see Jack click the realization together. He apologized for his loss, and proceeded to manage to make Gabriel laugh again by telling a story about his life in Indiana. 

“Did you always want to work at Starbucks?” Jack asked, tilting his head a bit in that cute way Gabriel noticed. It was a subtle cock of his head, but enough that it gave an air of innocence to the biker.

“No, my friend offered me a job when I got fired from my desk job. I took it just to hold me over until I got another one, but my manager pays me really well and all. My sister’s offering me a management job at her restaurant too, so I’ll probably take that one and leave Starbucks.”

Gabriel felt a twinge of hesitance at leaving his current job; his stupid, sentimental heart was going to be the death of him some day.

“What about you, farm boy? Did you always do construction?”

Jack smiled sheepishly, rubbing at his neck, “No, I actually have always wanted to be a nurse. I started classes, but… my mom got sick and a bunch of other stuff so I had to drop out and get a few jobs. I worked at a grocery store on top of a construction company.”

Gabriel smiled, imagining the man before him in nurse’s scrubs, caring for the sick and injured. He nodded, “I can see it. There’s a pretty good medical college here, if you’d be interested in going back?”

“I…” the rubbing at the neck, “maybe I would. Probably have to start all over though…”

“No pressure. I just think it’d be a good idea. Nursing is a good career to get into,” Gabriel said, finishing his now second glass of wine and refilling it. He smiled a bit against the glass as he sipped, his body feeling warm and relaxed as he talked to Jack.

“I’ll probably have to do that after I get my housing figured out. I’m staying with my brother right now, but I want my own place soon,” Jack said, smiling.

“You have four siblings right?” Gabriel asked.

Jack nodded, smiling, “Yeah. Oldest to youngest is Matthew, Mark, Luke, James, and then me.”

Gabriel chuckled, “Those are biblical names aren’t they?” 

Jack nodded, “My dad’s a Catholic.”

“I’ve got three younger sisters. Two sisters from my mom and one from my dad and his wife, or whatever,” he waved his hand dismissively, “Nadia, Silvia, and Isabella is the youngest.”

Jack smiled, “I can’t think of what’s worse, having little girls on your tail all the time, or having older brothers in charge of everything you do.”

Gabriel thought about it, “Boys are pretty mean, but little sisters are the devil. Ever woken up with glitter glue in your beard? I have. It doesn’t come out. Ever.”

Jack laughed at that, drinking his water as Gabriel finished his glass of wine. The host came and took their empty plates, telling him the wine was extra. Jack seemed to have no problem with paying, pulling out his wallet calmly.

“No, lemme cover it!” Gabriel insisted, patting through his pockets for his wallet. He didn’t have it, he realized with a drop of his stomach. Jack smirked and reached into his leather vest, pulling out Gabriel’s tri-fold wallet. He waved it, then tucked it away. Gabriel tried to grab for it, but Jack leaned away as he paid the host, smiling and standing after. 

Gabriel stood as well, feeling his head spin. Damn, how strong was that wine? He didn’t think he’d had enough to feel even buzzed, but he felt it go straight to his head once he stood. Jack held Gabriel’s hand, subtly allowing Gabriel to lean against him for stability as they walked out of the restaurant. When they left, it had started to grow dark and their breaths were barely visible clouds in the air in front of them.

Getting to the motorcycle, Jack knelt with a knee on the ground to unlock his side bag and take out what he needed. He set the two helmets on the seat, then his gloves. Those damned gloves. Jack had no right looking that good in leather gloves. The way they clung tightly to his hands was enough to make the heat crawl up Gabriel’s neck, unable to tear his eyes away.

Jack must have noticed the way he was staring because he just smiled at Gabe and reached out to hold his hand, “You feelin’ okay?” he asked.

Gabriel nodded, relishing the feel of leather against the palm of his hand, “Yeah, perfect.”

Jack chuckled and nodded, letting his hand go to grab the helmet. He handed it to him, his other hand slipping Gabriel’s beanie off his head slowly. He tucked it into the bag as Gabriel put on the helmet, Jack tucking his on as well. Jack straddled the bike, and Gabriel laughed quietly because he could stare all he wanted without being caught. He climbed on with less grace behind Jack, wrapping his arms around the other man’s waist. 

After a bit of preparation, Jack kicked the bike leg up and started the motor. Gabriel felt the rumble deep in his bones as they drove off, resting his head against Jack’s back gently. He could feel the cool night wind breeze past their bodies, trying to sink under his layers of clothing. 

He rubbed Jack’s side gently, relaxing as the world whizzed past them in a blur of neon lights and loud, boombox music he couldn’t make out. He didn’t know how long he was there against Jack’s warm back, but it wasn’t long enough because too soon they were stopped in front of Gabriel’s apartment. 

Jack got off the bike with Gabriel, and put his things away, but kept his gloves on. He wrapped a hand around Gabriel’s waist as he walked him to the door to his apartment, smiling contentedly, “Did you have a good night?”

Gabriel grinned, nodding, “Yeah, definitely. That place was good,” he said, grabbing his keys from Jack’s jacket and filtering through them to open up his apartment. He pushed the door open, leading Jack inside, “Want some water or something? I’ve also got soda, and orange juice I think,” he said, turning to see Jack closing the door behind him and unzipping his jacket. He slipped it off his shoulders, revealing a tucked in white tee shirt underneath. Gabriel was mesmerized for a moment, watching until Jack set the leather jacket on the edge of the bed. 

“I’ll have a pop,” Jack said casually. A grin spread across Gabriel’s warm face, and he started laughing without meaning to.

“What?” Jack asked, leaning against the door.

“You say pop. That’s cute!” Gabriel said, holding his stomach. 

“How’s it cute? That’s what it is!” he insisted. Gabriel giggled harder. It wasn’t really that funny, but his drunken mind thought it was the funniest thing at the moment. It had slipped his mind that Midwestern people had their own lingo. He’d heard it before, obviously, but it was unexpected in the moment. The way Jack’s face was turning pink was making it better.

A smile cracked in Jack’s lips, and he shook his head as he moved closer to Gabriel, guiding him to sit on the bed, “You’re drunk, silly,” he said. That was true, but Gabriel had settled his head on Jack’s stomach with the other man’s arms on either side of his body. 

“You smell really good,” Gabriel blurted out, wrapping his arms around Jack’s waist and nuzzling his jacket, the smell of cologne and leather filling him.

“Thank you, Gabe. Want a drink? I’ll grab them,” Jack said, chuckling and pulling away to walk to the kitchenette. Gabriel nodded and flopped backwards onto the bed, arms splayed out widely, 

“I’ll have some water!” he called after him. Jack returned with a bottle of water and a soda from the fridge, settling the bottle at Gabriel’s side and taking a seat beside him. The cold sobered him just a bit as he held it in his hand. He cracked open the soda, taking a long drink and setting it on the floor. 

He lie down on the bed next to Gabriel, so he moved his arm to make more room for the blonde. He looked over to see him smiling back at him and tucking an arm under his head. He was so handsome and yet so simple at the same time, it was hardly fair at all. It was like he needed no effort to look good, laying on Gabriel’s bed with messy hair and a sweet smile on his lips.

Gabriel rolled over onto his side, hugging Jack gently and resting his head on his chest. He felt the warm leather against his cheek, breathing in the smell of Jack. He closed his eyes, hearing the steady heartbeat under his ear. He felt like he was there forever, warm and comfortable before Jack jumped, grabbing for his vibrating phone and pressing it to his cheek after swiping his thumb across the screen. Gabriel sat up squinting in the light of his apartment. Had he fallen asleep? Wine did make him sleepy.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Jack said into his phone, his voice a little rough. He put a hand over his face, rubbing gently, “No, I wasn’t going to stay the night, Jim,” his voice got a little sharper for a second but calmed down again, “Yeah, I’ll be home soon, don’t worry,” and he hung up. He sighed and threw his arms out widely.

“You okay, Jack?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just my brother, he’s a little… clingy?”

“Do you need to go home?”

“Yeah, he’ll have a whole conniption fit if I’m not home soon,” Jack said, sitting up and stretching slightly. 

“Alright,” Gabriel stood and smiled sweetly, taking Jack’s hand when he held it out and helping him up. Jack wobbled a little at standing so fast, and Gabriel braced him carefully.

“You alright?”

Jack laughed, nodded, and stretched himself, “Yeah, got up too fast. Got dizzy,” he said, slowly relaxing again and brushing his hair back only for it to flop down again.

“I’ll make sure you’re safe until you leave, okay?” Gabriel asked, following Jack as he headed for the door. He opened it and started towards his bike, settled in the driveway still. Gabriel leaned against the door frame, arms crossed against the chilly night air. Jack stepped over to his bike, grabbing the two helmets out of the bag once he unlocked it. He went over to Gabriel and handed it over, smiling, 

“This is yours to keep. I have a few others at home that will fit you too.”

Gabriel took it, feeling the cold exterior and trying to push down the swell of affection he felt. He looked up at Jack, grinning and grabbing his arm. He pulled him closer and kissed his cheek, enjoying the feeling of warmth increase under his lips.

“Thank you, Jackie,” he said softly, breath fogging in the cold night air.

Jack kissed his cheek back, then rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone. He scrutinized the screen for a moment, then swiped it and shoved it into the pocket of his pants. 

“Your brother?” Gabriel asked, chuckling.

Jack nodded, huffing out a puff of white breath, “Yeah, when I said he’s clingy I wasn’t kidding.”

“Get back to him before he comes and breaks down my door to find you. I’ll see you tomorrow, right? I’m working in the afternoon.”

Jack smiled, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, hun. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he pressed another kiss to Gabriel’s cheek before he drew back and went to his bike. 

“Text me when you’re home,” Gabriel said. Jack smiled and nodded,

“Of course I will!”

He put his things haphazardly into the side bag, latching it closed and pulling on his helmet. He got onto the bike, kicking up the leg and starting it. He moved a lot faster without Gabriel also on the bike, actually. He waved to Gabriel, his shoulders shaking with an unseen laughter before he took off with the roar of his motor. 

Gabriel stood in the door frame, watching the man leave with his arms wrapped around the helmet. Once he could no longer hear or see Jack, he trailed back into his apartment. He closed the door and set the helmet down onto the bed, his hand brushing something smooth and cool. He looked to see Jack’s leather jacket still folded over the edge of the bed. He gasped and grabbed it, then realized he couldn’t do anything to return it right now. He grabbed his phone and texted Jack about the jacket instead, sighing and sitting down. He looked at the roses by his bed, smiling fondly at Jack’s cheesy romances. Roses, wine, and dinner? Really?

Jack knew the fastest way to Gabriel’s heart, it seemed. 

He set the jacket down and got up, changing into his pajamas and brushing his teeth. He poured out the rest of the soda Jack had left, and shut off the lights. He got into bed, scrolling through his phone.

**11:27 p.m.**

Jeez, I’m an idiot

**dont say that. Ill get it to u tomorrow**

Alright thank you <3

**hows everything with the brother?**

He’s worried

He’ll get over it

Lol

I need to shower I’ll be back

**okay, jack. Message me when youre out**

I’m out

Gabe?

I’ll guess you’re asleep lol

Goodnight, babe. Sleep well

Gabriel didn’t stir with the vibrations of his phone, in far too deep of a sleep. The warmth and smell of Jack’s leather jacket and cologne surrounded him, anchoring him to the best sleep he’d had in a long time. He didn’t even notice he didn’t have his beanie. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this? Talk to me about it at  
> \- [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/chubbyghost)  
> \- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ChubbyGhost3)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Source for the idea of Jimmy goes to [jiveammunition](https://http://jiveammunition.tumblr.com/) and [Hino](https://http://https://hinoart.tumblr.com//)!  
> Here's [Jimmy](https://hinoart.tumblr.com/post/172203427132/loads-of-aus-lmao-jack-having-a-twin-named-james/)!  
> I love him so much lol
> 
> I'm still celebrating Jack's coming out! Hope y'all enjoy my fluff with a side of naughty haha <3

Gabriel was drizzling chocolate over Lúcio’s frappuccino, searching for a cap when Jack walked in. Gabriel smiled and looked at him, heart rising happily at the sight of him. Jack, however, did not look happy judging by his creased brow behind his aviator sunglasses. He also looked… different. His hair was swept back messily, and he wasn’t wearing his usual clothes. His jeans looked tighter, and he was wearing a blue muscle tee. Gabriel squinted, handing Lúcio his drink, 

“Everything okay?” Gabriel asked when the blonde got close enough.

“Oh yeah, perfect,” Jack said, leaning against the counter. He took off his sunglasses, blue eyes on Gabriel’s nametag, “So, you’re Gabriel?”

“Yes… What is this? Some kind of joke?” he asked suspiciously, on the verge of anger. If Jack thought this was funny, he was very sorely mistaken. The blonde looked at Gabriel’s face with a quirked eyebrow, then he started laughing. Through his open mouth, Gabriel saw a silver tongue piercing.

“I know that face,” he said, “Jackie boy didn’t tell you? Damn, asshole. My name’s Jimmy,” he stood straight and held out his hand, smirking, “I’m Jack’s twin.” He said it as if there was nothing strange about it. There wasn’t really, except that Gabriel never thought there was another person who looked and sounded just like Jack in the world. He needed a moment to parse this new information.

Gabriel shook Jimmy’s hand dumbly, stuck for a bit while his brain caught up. He jumped when he heard Ana’s voice from behind him, “Break time!” and the door to the break room closed again. Gabriel looked to Jimmy, 

“Wait a second.” He went to the break room and took off his apron, setting it down next to Ana along with his hat. He clocked out and was about to leave, but Ana stopped him with a clearing of her throat,

“Everything alright, Gabe?”

“Yeah, just… Do you know Jack’s brother? Jimmy?”

Ana smiled, “I know of him. He came a lot before you worked here. Jack told me a bit ago that they were brothers, but I didn’t know they were twins!” she said, sipping at her drink, “Identical too. Why, didn’t you know?”

“No, I didn’t,” Gabriel grit out, “He’s here though. I’m going to talk to him.”

“Have fun, sweetheart. He seems… interesting,” she said politely, tucking her hijab tighter around her neck.

Gabriel walked out and went around the counter, approaching where Jimmy was getting a dark coffee from Hana. She smiled sweetly at him, and he gave her a wink before turning to Gabriel, “We should talk.”

“We should,” Gabriel agreed, though he wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask first. Why didn’t Jack mention he had a twin? Why does Jack’s twin look like he just walked out of a frat party? Where was Jack?

Jimmy walked over to a table in the corner, smiling placatively. He leaned back a bit when he sat, observing Gabriel as he hung his aviators off the collar of his shirt. 

“So, you’ve been going on dates with my brother, I hear. Keep him out late and stuff,” Jimmy started.

“Yeah, I have. And?” Gabriel said, an unspoken dare to challenge tucked behind his words.

Jimmy leaned forward, eyes sharp, “Jackie’s a nice guy, Gabriel. He’s sweet, and he’s been through a hell of a lot. He’s also very trusting, and has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. I’d hate to see him hurt, and all of us are protective of him.”

Gabriel sat there for a bit, unable to decide whether he should be touched that Jack’s brother cared so much or annoyed that he seemed to be hovering over his adult brother. At the end of the day, this was the guy who had a strong habit of interrupting their dates. It was getting increasingly frustrating how convenient his timing was. He’d damn near screamed when Jack’s hand was on his thigh, lips a few inches away from his, when Jack’s phone started vibrating and he had to go home with a sweet kiss in parting. He’d be holding a long grudge for that one. He raised an eyebrow,

“Are you trying to imply that I’m going to hurt him?”

Jimmy smirked over a draw of his drink, barbell clicking against his teeth after, “It wouldn’t be the first time a ‘nice guy’ hurt him. So, I’m just gonna say that if you treat him good, you and I can be great friends but if you do hurt him? Well, I’m the only one out here to stick up for him and I take that real seriously.”

“That almost sounds like a threat,” Gabriel said coolly, regarding the man before him.

“Only if we get to that point,” Jimmy said with a casual shrug and a swirl of his cup.

“Well, we-” he was interrupted by Jack walking into the shop. He didn’t have his jacket because it was still at Gabriel’s apartment despite him having several chances to take it home. He kept forgetting, he excused. Jack’s eyes landed on their table, and his face changed from shock to confusion to disbelief and then it finally landed on restrained aggravation. He moved over to them deliberately, holding Jimmy’s shoulder in a firm grip and giving a forcibly patient smile,

“What’re you doing here, bro?” The word bro sounded weird coming from Jack, considering his usually proper manners.

“Wanted to meet your boyfriend since you wouldn’t introduce us is all!” Jimmy assured, hand landing to cover Jack’s. Gabriel was stuck staring at them. Side by side, the differences would be hard to pick apart if he didn’t know Jack well enough. Other than their clothing choices, they really were identical down to the stubble on their chins and the freckles on their cheeks. Jimmy’s smile, however, was more cocky while Jack’s was shy. Overall, Jimmy seemed to be the more confident of the two.

“He’s not-” Jack started, cheeks pink, “That label isn’t yours to decide. What did you say to him?” he looked at Gabriel instead, gripping Jimmy’s shoulder slightly, “What’d he say to you?”

Jimmy’s blue eyes swiveled to Gabriel, challenging. Gabriel smiled at Jack, “Nothing. Just wanted to come check me out.” Not a lie. Probably best that he didn’t tell Jack that he’d been borderline threatened, lest Jack’s grip on his brother turn to a fist to the face. Jimmy smirked, then looked to Jack again,

“See? Nothin’ bad, man! Why do you always think the worst of me?”

“Hmm,” Jack said sarcastically, letting Jimmy go and scratching his cheek, “Maybe because you freak the hell out if I’m gone for more than a couple hours without telling you? Or because you try to sleep with everything that moves?”

Jimmy grinned and patted Jack’s hip then drank more of his coffee, “Not my fault you’re a baby.”

Jack’s face reddened a little more, “God, Jimmy, go home.”

“What, I can’t grab coffee here?”

“Not where my- Where Gabriel works! You’re gonna mess with him, I already know you!” Jack huffed. Gabriel smiled and rested his hand on his chin, watching the exchange continue. It didn’t pass him up how Jack almost called him his something. His boyfriend, perhaps?

It was a few more moments of back and forth between the two brothers before Jimmy conceded and left, hugging Jack and kissing his cheek affectionately before leaving. Jack sighed, rubbing at his kissed cheek like a boy who still believed in cooties,

“Sorry for being late, I probably missed your break, huh?” he rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks still pink.

“A bit, but it’s slow so I can still talk,” Gabriel said, pulling out his phone and checking the time. He had a few minutes left. Jack sat down, and Gabriel could see the fatigue in his body. “Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, hard day… It’s alright though,” Jack smiled, “I’ve seen you today, so it’s a thousand times better already.”

Gabriel blushed and laughed, “You’re sweet.”

Jack laughed along, “It’s true! Seeing you makes my whole day, babe!” His voice was low enough that only Gabriel could hear, but he was excited nevertheless.

Gabriel put a hand over his face to hide his blush, and he heard Jack still giggling. He looked back up at him, smiling, “You’re too sweet, Jackie. Your brother was right.”

It was Jack’s turn to blush. He titled his head a bit, “What do you mean?” he asked, smile still on his lips.

“He was just saying you were really sweet, but I knew that already. You didn’t tell me you had a twin,” Gabriel said, watching Jack.

“Yeah, I kinda forgot to mention that part,” he rubbed his neck and Gabriel already knew there was a red spot there, “He’s pretty okay, but we’re really different. He’s a lot more…” he waved his hand, searching for a word, “wild, to put it nicely.”

“And if you didn’t put it nicely?” Gabriel asked curiously.

“He’s a slut, and he’s crazy,” Jack said, laughing awkwardly and looking away. 

“Crazy how?”

“He’s convinced everyone I’m interested in is gonna hurt me or something, so he tries to scare them away before anything can happen. That’s why I got a little, ah, protective?” 

“It’ll take a hell of a lot to scare me away from you, Jack,” Gabriel assured, pulling Jack’s hand away from his neck to hold it.

“What would it take?” Jack asked, squeezing his hand.

“I dunno, if he revealed you were a cannibal maybe.”

“Maybe?” Jack quirked an eyebrow.

“Yeah, if you didn’t try to eat me or anyone I care about, I might not care too much. It’d take a little getting used to though.”

Jack grinned, letting out a loud sigh, “Well boy am I glad to hear that! I was dreading the day I’d have to tell you about my dietary choices.” He busted up into giggles, covering his mouth with his free hand. Gabriel laughed too, rolling his eyes and swatting at Jack’s hand on the table. 

“Gabe, break’s over!” Jesse called, smirking. Gabriel wiped the corner of his eye where tears had sprung up,

“Okay, give me a second!” he waved his hand at the man. Jack’s giggles were slowly subsiding, 

“I’ll let you get back to work. I have to get back too, but maybe I can come over tonight?” 

“Sure, I’ll text you when I’m off,” Gabriel got up and smiled at Jack before he headed to the break room to get his uniform back on and clock in.

__

As it turns out, Jack had to cancel coming over two days in a row. The first time, he said his boss needed him to work longer and by the time he was done he had to take care of some other errands. The second day, he said he had to take care of Jimmy and clean their house after he got off work because his brother was throwing up and had a fever. He had profusely apologized both times, and Gabriel assured him that it was alright. He could hear the fatigue in Jack’s voice when they talked on the phone, and Jack actually ended up falling asleep on the phone after about an hour. He didn’t hang up, fearing the sound would wake him. So, he fell asleep with the phone beside him, smiling with the leather jacket in his arms. 

Gabriel was grocery shopping when his phone started to ring. He smiled when he saw Jack’s face looking back at him, and he answered it, 

“Hello, handsome. What’s up?” he grabbed a box of cereal. 

“I’m on my lunch break, and I missed you,” Jack admitted, laughing, “I can for sure come over today after work!”

“You can? Sounds fun,” Gabriel said, smiling as he pushed his cart along, “How long can you stay before your parasitic twin freaks out?” he joked. He could hear Jack try not to laugh at the name.

“I told him I’m coming over and won’t be back until late. I’ll ignore him if he tries to harass me. I’m not leaving early again, I promise!” Jack gushed.

“Okay, Jack. I was starting to think I was in a competition for your affection,” Gabriel laughed.

“There’s no competition, babe. I like being around you more, but it’s easier to avoid a fight and spend time with my brother. I think he just missed me because he’s been out here since we turned twenty, so he’s a little clingier than usual.”

“He’s lived here for nine years? What does he do?” Gabriel asked.

Jack was quiet for a moment, either eating or thinking, “He’s an interior designer, and he draws graphic design stuff. He’s also in a band, but he hasn’t done anything with that for a long time.”

“So he does a lot,” Gabriel summarized, quirking an eyebrow as he decided between two green tomatillos.

“Basically. A hell of a lot more than me,” Jack laughed awkwardly.

“Aw, you just got here Jackie. Give yourself some time, and you’ll be a big shot,” Gabriel said, bagging a few vegetables, “And leave your poor neck alone, I know you’re rubbing it.”

“How did you know that?” Jack blustered.

“I’ve got eyes everywhere,” Gabriel said ominously, then laughed, “You rub your neck every time you think about something.”

“You hush, no I don’t!” Jack huffed, caught in the act. He sounded warmer after, “I’ve got to get back and talk to Mr. Ogundimu before my break’s over. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way, okay?”

“Alright, Jack. Don’t work too hard, I’ll see you later.”

“See you later, babe.” They hung up, and Gabriel went to ring up his groceries. 

It was on his way home that he thought about Jack coming over. He debated it the entire drive home, not wanting to cross any boundaries, but finally messaged Jack when he got home.

**if you want, you can stay the night here. driving home at night when you’re tired might not be a good idea**

It wasn’t until several hours had passed that he got a reply.

Sure thing. I’ll have to get some of my stuff then <3

Gabriel smiled and set to making dinner for them both. He was in the middle of washing his hands when he heard a knock on the door. He went and opened it to Jack in his usual style of clothing with a small backpack over his shoulder and dark circles under his eyes.

“What happened to telling me you were on the way?”

“My phone died and I had no time to charge it before Jimmy got home,” Jack said sheepishly, scratching his stubbly cheek and smiling, “Sorry if I showed up at a bad time.”

“No, I was just asking,” Gabriel said, stepping aside to let Jack in. He shed his backpack and set it by the front door, turning and grinning at Gabriel despite the fatigue he so obviously wore like a second skin,

“I missed you!” he pulled Gabriel into a tight hug, squeezing him affectionately. Gabriel gasped and laughed as Jack damn near picked him up off the ground, hugging him back and kissing his cheek,

“I missed you too. Are you hungry?”

“Oh God, yes!” Jack groaned, letting Gabriel go finally. Gabriel led him to the kitchenette, smiling a bit and setting down the towel he’d used to dry his hands. 

“Good, I made chile verde, rice, and beans. Sit down at the coffee table and we can eat.”

“No way, let me help!” Jack said, reaching for a plate. Gabriel swatted at his hand, 

“You just got off work and you look tired. Go sit down!” he said. Jack stuck out his tongue and went to sit down on the futon in front of the coffee table. 

“What do you want to drink?” Gabriel asked, preparing Jack’s plate first. 

“Uhh, do you have water?” Jack asked sweetly. Gabriel walked over and set the plate down on the table in front of him. He set a bottle of water with it, and utensils.

“You said you were Jewish so I used beef instead of pork. Is that okay?”

Jack looked at Gabriel with the most touched look in his eyes, and he smiled softly, “I can’t believe you remembered. I usually have to remind people, and they still forget the pork thing,” he laughed. Gabriel smiled and kissed his cheek,

“I don’t feel like poisoning you, today. Are there other restrictions I should know?”

“No, my mom only held us to the pork thing. She didn’t make us eat kosher or anything, and she didn’t either. Except during holidays but,” Jack waved his hand, “I don’t bother with it too much. Too complicated,” he laughed. 

“I’ll keep that in mind. Just wanted to make sure!” Gabriel went back to the kitchenette and made himself a plate. He brought napkins with him and his own bottle of water. He sat down beside Jack and chuckled at Jack’s still full plate.

“You waited for me, how sweet.”

“Momma always said it’s rude to eat before everyone’s at the table!” Jack said, tucking into his food once Gabriel was settled. 

“My family had the same rule,” Gabriel laughed, eating with him and grabbing the remote for the television planted to the wall. He switched it on and started searching for something to watch. Jack seemed fine whatever ended up coming on, and Gabriel finally settled on a cooking show. 

“Do you cook a lot?” Jack asked, drinking some water.

“Not a lot, but I like to. My whole family can cook except my youngest sister Isabella,” Gabriel said, smiling.

“I have to cook for you sometime, then! My brother Mark taught me most of what I know, but I’m really good at barbecuing! Mark and I are the only ones that can cook other than my mom, but she’s the best,” Jack said with a smile. Gabriel could see Jack missed his family, saw the look in his eyes that told him everything.

“I’d love to try it, Jack. Your food sounds great, as long as you season it,” Gabriel teased.

Jack gasped, offended, “I’m not that white!” he laughed, “My mom adds enough in her food to give most places a run for their money.”

“I dunno, Jack, you’re pretty white!” Gabriel said, looking at the ceiling. Jack swatted at him, grinning,

“I’ll just have to show you that my food’s good then!” 

“Oh no, I guess you will!” Gabriel said dramatically. They continued to eat with small conversation, Jack making side comments about how someone on the show was cooking. 

When they were both finished, Jack snatched up the plates before Gabriel could get them and went to the kitchenette. Gabriel groaned and got up,

“What are you doing, Jack?”

Jack smiled at Gabriel when he walked in, turning on the water and setting the plates and utensils into the sink. Gabriel huffed, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall,

“You worked a shit ton this week, let me take care of you,” he said.

“Let’s put the food away. Take care of me by spending time with me,” he suggested. Gabriel felt his heart swell at the corniness of Jack’s sentiment. 

“Do you have any tupperware to save the rest?” Jack asked, searching in a few cabinets. 

“Yeah, right here,” Gabriel said, reaching into the cabinet above the stove and taking down separate plastic containers for the rice, beans, and meat. 

“Thank you,” Jack said, taking one and going to work on pouring the chile verde into the tupperware. Gabriel did the same with the rice, and Jack beat him to getting the beans into the bowl. He made a mocking face at the other man when Jack showed off a winning smile.

“Okay, I’ll wash everything!” Jack declared, putting the pots and pans and the cooking utensils into the sink as well.

“You really don’t have to do that,” Gabriel said, reaching out and holding Jack’s arms to make him pause.

“You cooked, I’ll clean. It’s only fair,” Jack said, then kissed Gabriel’s cheek before turning on the hot water. He grabbed a sponge and soaped it up as the water warmed up. He rinsed everything, then shut the water off and started scrubbing away. 

Gabriel sighed and wrapped his arms around Jack, standing behind him. He rested his head on Jack’s shoulder, “You’re too nice, you know?”

“Nothing nice about it! It’s not fair to make you do everything. Besides, Gabe, I grew up on a farm remember? Washing dishes is definitely not the worst chore I’ve ever had to do,” Jack said with a deep rumble of a laugh that Gabriel felt against his chest.

“What was the worst chore you’ve had to do?” Gabriel asked curiously.

“Uh…” Jack thought for a moment, then nodded his head, “Probably cleaning up after the animals honestly. I was the youngest so I always got stuck with it. Or, when we would have to clean up all the holiday decorations. That was a nightmare.”

“How many holiday decorations did you have?” Gabriel asked, smiling.

“We had something for every holiday. My favorite was that I got to be the slasher for our cornfield maze, though!” Jack giggled, “Scared the hell out of some kids, and some adults too! Did you do anything for holidays?”

“My sisters and I would decorate for Christmas and Halloween, but that was about it. I loved Halloween the most because of the costumes and everything looked really cool. My abuelita loved dia de los muertos the most, so we would do everything for that too.”

“That’s… don’t tell me,” Gabriel could practically feel Jack thinking, and it made him laugh.

“Day of the dead, right? It’s supposed to be when the dead come back to see everyone?” 

Gabriel nodded and grinned, “Look at you knowing Spanish. Do you know anything else?”

“I used to be a hell of a lot better at it, but I haven’t used it in forever. My brother Luke had a friend who knew it and helped me in high school. Been a while, so I can’t really say anything so much as translate little bits and pieces,” Jack laughed sheepishly.

“That’s alright. Spend enough time with my family and you’ll pick it up in no time,” he assured.

“I’m gonna make a fool of myself, I already know,” Jack giggled.

“If you can roll your ‘R’s you’ll be fine,” Gabriel said.

“I can! Didn’t spend time in choir for nothing,” Jack boasted, rinsing the dishes.

“Oh, you were in choir?”

“Yeah,” Jack said, getting a little sheepish, “Sang at school and in my dad’s church and my mom’s synagogue,” he chuckled. 

“You’ll have to sing for me then,” Gabriel said coolly, smirking a bit. Jack shook his head and smiled, and he probably would have rubbed at his neck if his hands weren’t wet.

“I dunno, maybe someday,” Jack said, laughing shyly. Gabriel held Jack a little tighter to himself, enjoying how natural it felt. Their conversation and holding him and moving around his apartment together all felt like they’d known each other for years even if they’d only met a couple of months ago.

“Someday. Did you do anything else in school?” Gabriel asked, watching Jack put the dishes up to dry.

“I was on two sports teams. I was captain of the track team, and I was a runningback on the football team.”

Gabriel thought about this, then nodded, “A singer and a runner? You must have the lungs of a god,” he laughed.

“I’d better! I didn’t do all that work for nothing!” Jack snorted, “What about you? What did you do?”

“Me? I was a theater kid, mostly. I played soccer too,” he answered.

“Oh, theater? I was supposed to be in a musical once but I didn’t have the time to go to practices,” Jack said, “What did you do in theater?”

“I usually got lead roles. The teacher liked me a lot, and I helped with costumes and makeup,” Gabriel said.

“Costumes? That’s awesome! I’m shit at sewing. Mom taught all of us, and I just couldn’t get the hang of anything complicated.”

“I guess I’ll have to fix everything around here,” Gabriel said, dramatically exasperated.

“Hey! I can fix a pair of pipes, and I can build stuff! I just need you to handle anything that has to do with fabric or needles because then I’m useless,” Jack defended, reaching far to grab a towel to dry his hands without having to move his feet and make Gabriel move. Gabriel felt Jack’s body tense up and he took a slightly sharper inhale of breath.

“Are you okay?” Gabriel asked, frowning and letting Jack go to look at him. He was holding the towel in his hands, nose slightly scrunched.

“Yeah, my back just hurt at that angle,” he excused, relaxing his face and smiling.

“You old man. Why did your back hurt so easy?”

“Uh,” Jack looked away slightly, “I might have hurt myself? It was dumb and small so it’s fine!” 

Gabriel leveled a stare at Jack, and he immediately cracked under the pressure, “I thought I could carry it by myself! It wasn’t that heavy, but…” he pursed his lips, “I guess I didn’t pick it up right, and I fucked up my back. Mr. Ogundimu told me not to come in tomorrow for it.”

“You weren’t going to tell me?” Gabriel asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s not so bad! Just a little pain and swelling, nothing else,” Jack assured, cheeks reddening by the second.

“Come on, you need to rest then. Go lie down on the bed,” Gabriel decided, taking the towel from Jack and setting it on the counter. 

Jack sighed and walked off to go do that, knowing there was no point in arguing, “It’s not that bad!”

“I didn’t ask!” Gabriel laughed, going to the bathroom, “Do you have any medicine allergies?”

“Nope!” Jack said, a sigh escaping him as he probably lie on the bed. 

“All right,” Gabriel grabbed Jack’s water bottle and went to the bed where he was laying on his back, his boots set by the door, “Take these,” he held out two pain pills and the water, “It’ll help.”

Jack sat up again, “Thank you,” he said, grabbing the pills and washing them down with the water. He flopped back again, setting the water down on the ground carefully.

“Let me rub your back,” Gabriel said, giving a sweet smile. Jack blushed slightly,

“You haven’t got to do that!” Jack said quickly, looking embarrassed.

“I cook, you clean. You hurt yourself, I take care of you. It’s only fair,” he threw his logic back at him. He knew Jack would want to take care of him. Jack seemed to try and think of a way to deflect, but apparently couldn’t find one since he nodded shyly,

“Okay, fine,” he said, drawing it out dramatically. 

Gabriel smiled victoriously and went back to the bathroom to find his lotion. When he came back, Jack was texting someone,

“Who’s that?”

“My mom. I missed a call from her,” Jack said, “Just making sure she knows I’m not dead or anything.” 

“Aw, your mommy calling and checking on you?” Gabriel teased halfheartedly.

“Yeah, she wants to make sure Jimmy hasn’t killed me yet. Or made me kill myself. Both are equally possible,” Jack laughed.

“Would that happen on purpose or on accident?” Gabriel’s question made Jack think, quite obviously. Gabriel wondered how many times he and his brothers had almost killed each other. He knew he and his sisters were seriously homicidal to each other one minute and then giggling together on the couch the next.

“Uh… Honestly, both,” Jack grinned and shut off his phone, setting it aside and relaxing. Gabriel crawled onto the bed, laughing and shaking his head,

“I don’t even want to know some of the stories you have, do I?” he said, twirling his finger to tell Jack to roll over.

“If you’re going to freak out over a hurt back? Probably best you don’t know some of the things we do in Indiana,” Jack said, rolling over onto his stomach and cuddling a pillow. Gabriel crawled over him to sit at his side, pulling Jack’s shirt up. Jack’s lower back didn’t look bad, though it was clearly swollen. He poured some lotion into his hands and rubbed them together to warm it. He adjusted his position and went to work on massaging at Jack’s muscles. Jack tensed up for a moment, then relaxed under his hands.

Gabriel scooted Jack’s shirt up a little more, massaging the muscles under his palms and thumbs. He smiled a bit and looked down at him. He looked really relaxed, actually, his eyes closed and his body basically liquid in the bed. Gabriel chuckled,

“Does that feel okay?”

“Yeah, it feels amazing… Thank you, babe,” Jack said, his voice low. Gabriel admired the way he looked for a while, hands working diligently at any knots he found. Jack rolled over after a bit, grabbing Gabriel’s arms and pulling him down beside him. 

“Thank you,” Jack said, drawing the words out and peppering kisses along his cheek. Gabriel laughed softly, blushing a bit, 

“It was nothing,” he said, relaxing beside him and wrapping an arm over his chest. Jack held Gabriel closely, rolling over onto his side to face him,

“Well, I feel a whole lot better, so it was something!” he grinned, blonde hair messy from rolling around on the bed. Gabriel brushed his hair away from his face, feeling too warm and happy. Their legs were tangled together, and it was honestly the only way Gabriel ever wanted to live. 

Jack leaned a little closer, smiling still, and next thing Gabriel knew their lips were pressed together. It was soft, but electric. Gabriel felt his cheeks heat up as Jack held him around the waist, hugging him closer. He and Jack kissed for what could have been forever, lips and tongues moving smoothly in tandem. Gabriel’s eyes were closed, hands gracing over Jack’s arms and chest slowly.

Jack rolled over onto his back and Gabriel followed the movement, straddling the other man and pulling away just a moment to breathe. Jack’s hair was frazzled from Gabriel’s hands moving through it, and his cheeks were a light pink. He smiled at Gabriel, and he was sure his face was red too. He knew his ears were, that was always the first part of him to blush.

“You alright?” Jack asked, hands on Gabriel’s hips. He nodded a bit jerkily, leaning down and pressing their lips together again. Jack offered no resistance, hands sneaking slightly under the hem of Gabriel’s shirt so his thumbs could rub against his skin. Gabriel shivered slightly from the touch, his body heating up as their kiss deepened. Their breaths hitched together as Gabriel dared to run his hands against Jack’s taut stomach, Jack pulling Gabriel closer and nipping at his lip.

__

Gabriel woke up with a jolt as an alarm played right in his face. He saw a pale arm reach over and shut the phone off again, then felt it just drop over his body. He groaned and rolled over, rubbing his eyes and laughing quietly when he saw Jack. His hair was an absolute mess, golden strands sticking up all over his head. Jack didn’t have a pillow under his head, and Gabriel guessed it had fallen somewhere away while they slept. 

“Sorry, I forgot to turn off my alarm,” Jack said, his voice husky and muffled by his hands over his face. He rubbed vigorously for a moment, then took them away and held Gabriel to his body again. They were both shirtless, and Gabriel felt Jack’s bare leg where his pajama pants had ridden up his calf. 

“‘s fine..” Gabriel said quietly, relaxing against Jack’s chest and shutting his eyes. He remembered it taking forever to draw himself and Jack out of the bed to get ready to sleep, and he had no intention of getting out of the bed again any time soon. 

Memories of the previous night sat warm in his belly as he saw the pink marks on Jack’s chest. They hadn’t gone too far however much they wanted to since they were criminally unprepared, but Gabriel could see the rag they’d used to clean their hands still sitting on the nightstand. He pulled the covers closer, humming at the cocoon of warmth that surrounded him. He could still smell Jack’s cologne, which only added another layer to the heady feeling of sleep and affection after sex. 

He was awake shortly after Jack’s breathing delved back into snores, drunken off of how domestic it all was. It wasn’t pretty, Jack’s snoring and his messy hair and the streak of drool still on his cheek, but Gabriel could think of no better scene to drift back to sleep to. All the nights with that leather jacket paled in comparison to having Jack under him, surrounding him more securely from the outside world than any garment could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on!  
> \- [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/chubbyghost)  
> \- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ChubbyGhost3)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> //Small warnings for slight talk about past self harm and breast cancer ^^

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This chapter is overall pretty domestic, Jack and Gabe learning about each other and their families. Still sweet so I hope you enjoy!

Gabriel lie in bed, the warm sunlight filtering through his cheap plastic blinds cutting shadows across the man in his arms. Jack folded an arm under his head, sighing softly and looking down at where Gabriel had his head on his chest.

“Where did that one come from?” Gabriel asked Jack, running a finger over a deep scar just between his stomach and his hip. He’d been tracing his finger’s over Jack’s body for a while, feeling how it relaxed the other. 

Jack glanced down as if he didn’t know it was there, then chuckled quietly, “Appendectomy. Had to get surgery when I was sixteen to remove my appendix before it would have burst. They took out Jimmy’s too, just in case.”

Gabriel grimaced, “That sounds painful…” he murmured, tracing the slightly curved scar with his finger. Jack nodded,

“It wasn’t fun at the time. Had to leave a football game for it, but they found a replacement for me. I got a lot of attention in the school though. They had this whole ‘Get well, Jack,’ thing where they sent me cards and flowers. I’ve never had so many balloons,” he shook his head, grinning.

“You were pretty popular then?”

“I guess you could say that. I didn’t want to be, but twins are always well known, especially when they’re both kind of jocks. Plus, everyone was worried considering I threw up and passed out on the side of the field. There was a rumor that I died, and Jimmy almost had a heart attack until he got to see me in the hospital,” he laughed. Gabriel chuckled quietly, shaking his head, 

“What about that one?” he asked, rubbing his thumb over the edges of a zipper scar that ran longways along Jack’s wrist. 

Jack looked at his wrist, grinning and shaking his head, “Shattered my wrist when I was… fourteen?” he said. Gabriel raised his eyebrows, 

“How the fuck do you do that?”

“I… jumped off the roof of our barn,” Jack admitted, cheeks pink.

“Why the fuck would you do that?” Gabriel asked, propping up on an elbow to look at him.

“Five boys get bored on a farm by themselves!” he defended, “My mom nearly killed us all though,” he giggled. Gabriel shook his head, 

“You’re insane.”

Jack smiled, “Yeah, a little. Got some cool pins in my arm now! I had a photo of the x-rays, I think it’s still in my phone.”

“I’d rather not see your busted arm,” Gabriel snorted softly, shaking his head. Jack laughed, 

“Suit yourself!” 

Gabriel ran his fingers along other small scars he found, passing over some too-linear scars over Jack’s inner bicep, heart aching for a moment at the idea of Jack hurting himself. He saw Jack watching his fingers, so Gabriel didn’t ask. Jack answered him anyways,

“Hard times when I was younger. I regret it now, but it is what it is,” he said, shrugging halfheartedly. Gabriel nodded, caressing the scars lovingly for a moment before raising his hand to show his arm. 

“They’re mostly faded, but I did that too,” he said, glancing at the skin. Dark scars could barely be seen against his skin, and Jack held his hand gently as he continued, “Thighs got it a bit worse.”

Jack nodded, then smiled, “We got through it though!” he said optimistically. It seemed hard to get Jack down. Gabriel nodded, resting his chin on Jack’s chest. 

“Where did that one come from?” Jack asked, brushing the backs of his fingers over Gabriel’s chest where a deep, long scar lie along his sternum. Gabriel rubbed the knuckles of the one of Jack’s hands he was holding, 

“Born with a hole in my heart. Needed surgery to close it. No big deal, I don’t even remember it,” he said. Jack’s face changed to that familiar gaze of sympathy, but then it changed again to a slight smirk, 

“Your scars are way less stupid than mine,” he laughed, “No scars from dumb stunts?”

“I have scars on my knees, elbows, and hands from skateboarding,” Gabriel said, “Trying to look cooler than I was. I also have a burn somewhere on my shoulder from a theater light,” he said, smiling. 

Jack grinned, “Almost all of my scars are from doing stupid shit, honestly. I have one on my hand from a hunting accident with my dad. He freaked out ‘cause I cut my hand open trying to skin a rabbit or something like that,” he shook his head, “I’m not a good hunter. My brother Mark is though!”

Gabriel shook his head, “Fucking hillbillies skinning rabbits. What, did you eat squirrels too?”

Jack smiled, looking up at the ceiling. Gabriel grimaced, “You didn’t!” Jack laughed, 

“No, I didn’t! My mom says she has though.”

“They eat weird stuff in Mexico too, don’t worry. Ever eaten a cricket?” Gabriel prompted.

Jack thought, “No, but I ate a worm on a dare when I was really young,” he said. Gabriel scoffed, 

“Gross. Anyways, bugs aren’t uncommon in Mexico. Crickets, grasshoppers, and ant larvae especially.”

“I’d try it,” Jack said, unaffected. Gabriel sighed. His attempt at grossing Jack out had failed. He had a suspicion Jack would eat anything at least once, probably. 

Jack grinned and rolled over in the bed to face Gabriel, their fingers still laced together. He kissed Gabriel on the forehead, and Gabriel was sure he could stay right here in this bed forever if he had the option. However, he started laughing loudly when Jack broke the moment with a quiet, 

“I really have to pee.” Jack rolled out of the bed, laughing happily as he trotted his way to the bathroom. Gabriel shook his head and covered his face, laughing, 

“So romantic, Jackie.”

“Isn’t it more romantic than peeing in the bed? I could do that if you prefer!” he joked, closing the bathroom door. Gabriel grimaced, though smiled still, 

“That’s gross!”

He got up and went to the kitchenette to make a bowl of cereal, plopping down onto the futon to eat it as he tried to find something to watch. He settled again for the cooking channel, watching as a man guided the audience through making the perfect margarita. He glanced over, seeing Jack rummaging through his backpack that he’d brought. Gabriel smirked, leaning in, 

“Is that a tattoo?” he asked, shoving another spoonful of cereal into his mouth. Jack looked back, laughing quietly, “Yeah, it’s the only one I have right now, but I want more,” he said, walking over to Gabriel and turning to show the right shoulder that the tattoo resided on. It wasn’t very large, maybe a few inches big. It was a silky looking pink cancer ribbon, the color faded with time but the black outline still there. 

“What’s it for?” Gabriel asked as Jack turned back around, pulling a tight, white tank top on. 

“My mom. She’s had breast cancer a few times since I was young, and when we all were eighteen years old, me and my brothers all got matching tattoos for her. She has one on her chest over her heart too, with all our names on it.”

Gabriel nodded, thinking about this, “Do you all have it in the same spot?”

“No, Matthew got it on his chest where nobody can see it through his suit. Mark has it on his forearm, Luke’s got it on his calf, and Jimmy has it on his left shoulder like mine but opposite,” Jack said, heading to the kitchen presumably to get some food. 

“What other tattoos do you want?” Gabriel asked.

“Uhh… I kinda want something Celtic because my mom’s from Scotland and my dad’s dad was Irish. Jimmy and I wanted to get twin tattoos too, but we don’t know what to get. Mark has a bunch of tattoos, so I’ve always wanted some like him,” he admitted, coming back with a bowl of cereal. Jack folded a leg under himself as he sat down, “Do you want tattoos?”

“I do. I wanted to get Roman numerals on my chest for my mom’s birthday and the day she died. And I wanted angel wings on my back,” Gabriel said, nodding. Jack thought about this for a moment, then nodded,

“That would be really cool!” 

“I was saving up for the numerals. I’m going to make an appointment when her birthday is coming up,” Gabriel said. Jack smiled, 

“That’s awesome! I’d love to go be with you when you do it! I was there for Mark’s first tattoo, which was pretty cool. It’s a whole sleeve now, though,” Jack chuckled.

“You talk a lot about your brothers, but I haven’t seen any of them but Jimmy. What do they look like?” 

Jack jumped, “Oh, I never showed you?” he said, grabbing his phone out and scrolling through. He smiled and held out his phone to what looked like a family photo, zoomed in. There was a woman in between six men. She was clearly Jack’s mother, with no shortage of wrinkles on her sharp face. She had the same nose as him, freckles spattered over it and her cheeks. Her eyes were crinkled in a smile and blue as the sky. Her hair was curly and light blonde, though grey seeped through the roots and trailed down. She looked warm, but quick witted judging by the smirk on her face and the look in her eye.

Beside her was an older man, about her same age. Jack’s father. He looked less aged, more like he’d been exposed to the sun his whole life. Still, he had wrinkles, but his skin sagged less than Jack’s mother’s. His hair was pure white all the way through, but Gabriel imagined he was blonde as well at some point. It was swept back and to the side, almost neat but messy enough that it reminded Gabriel of Jack’s hair. He had a white mustache on his face, obscuring his upper lip but it was all twisted into a sideways smile. Overall, this man looked almost exactly like Jack except his nose was sharper and his eyes were brown. He looked diligent, if anything. An average Joe. It was exactly how Gabriel imagined a farmer boy’s dad to look.

At his mom’s side was Jack, and at his dad’s was Jimmy. He could tell from their smiles and their hairstyles, Jack overall looking sunnier than anyone else in the picture. His mom was close though. Beside Jimmy was a man with sharp features like their mother, high cheekbones and freckles. His eyes were brown, shallow wrinkles between his eyebrows. He had blonde hair, just like everyone in the photo, parted at the side and gelled into a professional style. Square framed glasses perched in his nose, the same shape nose as Jack’s mom. His eyes were brown. He was smiling through full lips, charming and fit looking. 

Beside him was a man with wavy, windswept hair. He looked relaxed and warm, farm-raised. He looked just like their father, save for the hair and mustache. He had a bit of stubble on his chin and fading freckles on his face. His eyes were warm brown as well, with thick eyelashes giving them a lazy look. His smile was like his mom’s, sharp and smirking. He looked broad, like he worked out often. He had the slightest crow’s feet.

On the other side, next to Jack, was a man who was smiling a bit tightly. His hair was long and curly, reaching his ribs and a little unkempt. Judging by the photo, it was a bit windy the day it was taken. Gabriel knew from experience, curly hair was a nightmare in wind. He looked softer than most of them, and paler. He had hazel eyes and a barbell in his arched brow. Gabriel could tell he was the youngest other than Jack and Jimmy judging by his lack of wrinkles. There was a small mole under his right eye, just between his eye socket and the rise of his high cheekbone. He looked lean, but still muscular. 

Everyone in the photo looked muscular. They were all farmers, after all. Jack’s mother was the shortest, reaching Jack’s father’s collarbone, while all the others were roughly the same height as their father. They all wore matching shirts, white T-shirts with open, blue flannels over them. Everyone looked happy. 

“This was when Jimmy and Matthew both came out to visit us. That’s my mom, Rachel. That’s my dad, John. Me and Jimmy, of course. The one with long hair is Luke, the one with glasses is Matthew. And then that’s Mark, he’s the basic one,” Jack giggled softly, “That’s my whole family!”

“I was right, your brothers are handsome,” Gabriel teased. 

Jack barked a laugh, “Jimmy? He’s the ugly twin, please,” he grinned after, taking his phone back and scrolling, “Oh here’s another one after my mom healed from her surgery! Wanna see? It’s a little… I dunno how to describe it,” he giggled.

“Sure,” Gabriel said, leaning in. Jack turned the phone to show him. There was Rachel and all her boys around her, their father not in the photo. She had a pink bandana on her head, covering her hair or lack thereof. She and the boys all had on pink button down shirts, unbuttoned and held open wide to expose all their chests. Rachel had nothing to show but mastectomy scars on her chest, and a mommy belly covered in stretch marks and a belly button piercing. Everyone was grinning widely, posed dramatically around their mom like they were either supermodels or superheroes. 

Gabriel laughed, “She looks healthy. And confident,” he pointed out. Jack nodded, smiling in a reminiscent way, 

“Yeah, nothing tears down our mom. She’ll tell anyone who asks why she’s not embarrassed, ‘This body gave life to and raised five boys, survived my whole forty something years of living, ran a farm, beat cancer twice, and can still kick your arse!’” he laughed, doing a mock impression of a woman’s voice and waving his finger around. Gabriel smiled, 

“Sounds like I’ll have to work hard to impress her then?” he guessed. Jack shook his head, laughing, 

“She’s gonna love you the second she talks to you, Gabe. She’s good at reading people. She knew every one of Jimmy’s girlfriends would be trouble, and his boyfriends too! She also knew Matthew’s partner was gonna be perfect, and they’ve been together forever now! She loves Mark’s girlfriend too, she’s a doll. We’re waiting for her to tell us she’s pregnant, Mom says it’s coming any day now,” he snorted. 

“She sounds nice. I can’t wait to meet her,” he said.

“I can’t either! What about your family? Do you have photos of them?”

“Yeah!” Gabriel pulled out his phone to go through. He found a photo of his father and step-mother on their wedding day, showing Jack. His father was a broad man with black hair slicked back and dark, wrinkled eyes. He was a bit intimidating if he weren’t grinning like a dope in the photo, dressed in a tux and holding his wife happily. He looked a lot like his father, actually, but his father had less facial hair, had longer hair, and was shorter. His step-mother was a bit paler than the rest of his family, being half white, but she fit in great. She was thin and pretty, green eyes shining with tears in the photo and a big smile on her full lips. She was clearly a bit younger than his father, but not by much. She kept up with her appearance more, going to get her nails and hair done often with his sisters. He went along sometimes.

Jack grinned, “They look really happy! You look like your dad, you know?”

“I get that a lot. If I’m compared to my mom I look just like her too, so I think I’m a mix of both?”

“Let me see! I look just like my Pa,” he laughed.

Gabriel nodded, finding a photo of his mom and handing it over to Jack. It was at a dinner, but she was the only one in the frame, dressed in a blue sundress with her hair tied back in a bun with her curly brown bangs framing the sides of her face. She had a blue rose in her hair, pinned atop her bun. She was smiling and holding a baby girl, her face heart shaped and kind. She had the slightest wrinkles around her mouth and eyes. Jack grinned, looking between Gabriel and the photo.

“Yeah, you do look like her too! You have the same eyes and smile, but you have your dad’s nose!” he pointed out. Gabriel laughed, nodding.

“What about your sisters?” Jack asked.

Gabriel nodded, taking his phone to find a photo of the three of them. He found a selfie Nadia had sent him of the three. There was the three crowded in the frame and smiling. Nadia, the oldest sister, was a squat woman with a round, friendly face and glasses. Her curly black hair was long and held back with a headband. Her eyes were brown, like everyone in the family except Gabriel, Isabella, and their dad’s wife. Gabriel’s eyes were hazel, and the latter women had green eyes. Nadia had a beauty mark above her right eyebrow.

Silvia was thin and almost exactly like Gabriel’s mother in appearance but with her own twist. She had round glasses contrasting her older sister’s rectangular ones. She looked thin and sharp in general, high cheekbones and thin lips and a widow’s peak all making her look angular. She had big earrings in her ears and she wore dramatic makeup. 

Isabella, the youngest of the four, was round-faced and a little pudgy. She had the biggest smile and a coffee in her hand. Her hair was black and cut in a curly bob with bangs across her forehead and a bow pinned in her hair. She had pink braces on her teeth, having had to get them later in life. Her clothing style seemed closest to Gabriel’s, dark tones but much more feminine and lacy. She had Down Syndrome. 

Jack grinned as he looked at the photo, “They’re beautiful!” he laughed, “Which sister is which?

Gabriel nodded, smiling as he took the phone back and pointed to each girl, “Nadia, the oldest sister. Silvia is the middle one. And Isabella is the youngest out of us all.”

Jack nodded, “I hope they’re as nice as they look! What about your parents’ names?”

“They’ll tease you but they’ll love you anyways,” he assured, “My Dad’s name is Manuel, and my step mom’s name is Emilia. My mom’s is Valentina.”

He was imagining the two families interacting. He could already tell Jack and Isabella were going to love each other. He was excited for it, all of a sudden, but nervous as well. He held Jack’s hand, thinking about when he’d let slip that he was dating. His sisters were still nagging him about this mystery man.

“We can get together, if you like? Our siblings can all meet each other. Well, Jimmy and my sisters since he’s the only one who’s here.”

Jack grinned widely, “That sounds amazing! I’d have to tell Jimmy but yeah we can plan a day for sure!” he said, “He’s been wanting to know you more anyways!”

“Hm, he’s not convinced I’m not here to break your fragile glass heart yet?”

“I guess not,” Jack snorted softly, grinning, “When I go home we can plan it! Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” Gabriel said genuinely, pulling Jack close and hugging him to watch the television.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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**Author's Note:**

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